By LINDA PEARCE

Mark Philippoussis' stiff neck and last week's sore shins, and the achilles niggle of a few days before that, were the least of his problems yesterday. Down a service break in the fifth set, and feeling mysteriously weak and sluggish, the 16th seed's more pressing potential worry was being eliminated from the Australian Open.

In the end, Philippoussis escaped 6-4, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in two hours 43minutes against Israeli qualifier Noam Okun. But the only seeded Australian was one of the least convincing of the seven local winners on a fine opening day for the host nation, highlighted by Richard Fromberg's epic five-set win over sixth seed and 1999 finalist Thomas Enqvist.

Joining Philippoussis in the second round were Andrew Ilie, Mark Woodforde, Todd Woodbridge, James Sekulov and Michael Hill, with Lleyton Hewitt, Jason Stoltenberg and Scott Draper to play today. The only three opening-day losers were wildcard entries Joe Sirianni, Dejan Petrovic and, last night, Wayne Arthurs, who fell 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to No.3 seed Pete Sampras.

Philippoussis' game was riddled with 68 unforced errors but short on energy, footwork and service rhythm. He later took some tablets to ward off a threatening fever and wrapped his head in a cold towel. Certainly, in the third and fourth sets, and early in the fifth, he looked like a player in need of a good lie-down.

``I wasn't feeling great out there,'' he said, lamenting a ``patchy'' performance. ``I felt a bit heavy in my practice this morning, a bit lethargic, and during my match I just felt weaker and weaker. I was trying to ice myself down, trying to cool myself down. To be quite honest, I don't know how I got out of it. I think the best thing I could say is that it can only get better from here.''

Still, he recovered to win five of the last six games and survive for a second-round meeting with Dutch qualifier Raemon Sluiter, who prevailed 13-11 in the fifth set against Italian Andrea Gaudenzi.

The win of the day was Fromberg's, the Tasmanian rating the 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 3-6, 10-8 dismissal of Enqvist as the biggest of his career in the tournament he most covets. Fromberg saved two match points and finally closed it out on his fourth try, raising his arms to acknowledge a standing ovation and savor his return to a tournament he missed last year due to a wrist injury sustained while riding his bike to practice along the Yarra.

``The Australian Open for me, it's the big tournament of the year,'' said Fromberg, who converted only six of his 27 break chances but credited his serve for the victory. ``He is a great player, and being a finalist last year and just the way the match went right down to the wire at the end, I'd have to say it's my best win.''

Chuffed for different reasons was Woodbridge, whose singles career went into free-fall in 1999, plunging from 65th to a year-end ranking of 194th, having peaked at 19th in 1997. Only the end-of-year reinvigoration of his long-time doubles partnership with Woodforde, and the champion pair's role in last month's Davis Cup triumph, salvaged a wretched year.

Woodbridge, who now plays Mario Zabaleta, needed a wildcard to avoid a nasty trip into qualifier territory, but promising recent form on the practice court was borne out by his 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 serve-volley display against Dutchman Jan Siemerink.

``I don't expect to be charging up any rankings lists right now, but it was there,'' Woodbridge said of the touch that had been missing.

If Woodbridge was among the first wildcard recipients, Hill was the last, signing up for qualifying and taking his place in the main draw only when Pat Rafter definitely could not. Hill still claimed the honor of first local through to the second round, an emphatic 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 winner over German Berndt Karbacher, once ranked as high as 22nd in singles.

Hill, 25, who ended the year ranked 236th, relished his moment in the spotlight, nailing his first major singles win after five times losing in the last qualifying round at grand slam tournaments. A business graduate student of the University of California, Hill is based in Florida at the Saddlebrook Academy, along with Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati and, until recently, Sampras.

``I thought I had a pretty good shot, but I completely exceeded my expectations,'' Hill admitted, his voice revealing a slight American twang.

``I've been close. I've been working hard and I've been playing good tournaments at the Challenger level. It's just nice to get out there and have a win. I've been on the verge a couple of times last year.''

His next opponent is French Davis Cup team member Sebastien Grosjean.

The victory of fellow wildcard Sekulov was among the hardest-fought, an eventful 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-0 upset of Sydney semi-finalist Ivan Llubijic that stretched over three hours 41minutes, including a 15-minute break between first and second serves at the start of the fifth set as the Australian sought treatment for cramping.

Woodforde started his 15th, and almost certainly last, Australian Open with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) win over Italian Davide Sanguinetti.

By JOHN FERGUSON in Melbourne
18jan00

MARK Philippoussis last night revealed the real reason behind his shocker yesterday at the Australian Open. It's because he sleeps on his stomach.

The fastest server in the game has now become one of the quickest to find new excuses for his indifferent form and his latest whinge is certain to have tennis fans groaning.
Philippoussis, the tournament 16th seed, was made to look like a weekend battler as he struggled to overcome lowly-ranked Israeli Noam Okun 6-4 6-2 2-6 3-6 6-2 in their first-round game on centre court.

As he looked to explain his woeful performances, Philippoussis said he believed the sore neck which has troubled him in recent days could be attributed to him sleeping on his stomach.

"I am trying to get out of the habit," he said.

Philippoussis disappointed tennis fans at the weekend when he said his neck was too sore for him to play in the final of the Kooyong Colonial Classic against American world No1 Andre Agassi.

And he did little yesterday to repair his reputation with an error-ridden performance.

Philippoussis admitted if he had been a spectator in the stands yesterday he would have been upset with what was produced on the court.

"But ... what can I do?

"Things happen to professional athletes," he said

Philippoussis said he felt lethargic during yesterday's match and wondered whether he was contracting a fever. He took tablets midway through the match.

"I felt heavy and lethargic and as the match wore on, I felt weaker and weaker. I was trying to cool myself off. I don't know what it was, maybe something I ate last night."

He said he was not embarrassed by his decision to pull out of Saturday's final at Kooyong, even if yesterday's match made fans wonder what he had been saving himself for.

"I was worried I could go out there and play and make myself stiff the next day," he said

"On the other hand I do apologise for not playing and those people who did pay the money to watch that match -- of course they are disappointed and upset."



Scud wins clash By a neck